Threshing-machine.



UNITED STATES PATENT FFTCE.

THRESHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Application filed January 28, 1905. Serial No. 243,075.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM NIGHSWONGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clearwater, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Threshing-h lachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in divide-boards for the feeders of threshing-machines.

As ordinarily constructed the divide-boards of feeders are stationary and often form impediments to the free passage of the grain to the separator, causing the'feed of the bundles of grain to be retarded until choking of the feeder ensues, resulting in the feed of too much grain to the separator when the bundles are freed for movement.

The object of my invention is to provide a divide-board which not only performs its usual function, but is free from the objection noted, and, further, cooperates with'the usual feed mechanism to feed the grain constantly and uniformly to the separator.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of the features of construction, combination, and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feederframe equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the divide-board detached. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a feederframe of any of the ordinary constructions employed in feeders for threshing-machines, which frame, as shown in the present instance, comprises a bottom 2, side walls or guards 3, and a suitable cross-piece 4, connecting said side pieces or guards at the upper end of the frame.

The division-board 5 extends, as usual, longitudinally of the feeder at an intermediate point between the sides or guards 3 and in accordance with my invention instead of being stationary or fixed to the frame is mounted therein for reciprocatory movement and is provided upon opposite sides thereof with grain-engaging devices 6 to engage and feed the grain to the separator in its forward movement. These grain-engaging devices in the present disclosure consist of series of slats secured vertically to the sides of the board, each slat being of triangular form and having a forward grain-engaging shoulder 7 and an outer inclined side 8, said shoulder being disposed at right angles to the plane of the board to engagethe grain on the forward movement of said board, while the surface 8 is inclined inwardly and rearwardly to the plane of the board,-so as to slide over and prevent any retardation in the forward movement of the grain as the board moves backward, thereby preventing the grain-engaging devices from resisting the free feed of the grain to the separator under the action of the ordinary feed devices when the board is on its rearward return or inactive movement.

Attached to'=the rear end of the board is an arm 9,. which projects over the cross-piece 4: of the frame through an inverted-U-shaped guide 10, secured to said cross-piece, the side walls of said guide forming bearings for the ends of a shaft 11, carrying a roller 12, which supports the arm 9, and consequently the rear end of the division-board 5, the said roller permitting the arm 9 to reciprocate back and forth within the guide with a minimum degree of friction, while the guide holds said arm in engagement with the roller.

Secured to the front end of the board 5 is 'an arm or bar 13, which is provided with a bearing 14: for the reception of the bridge of a crank 15, formed on a transverse shaft 16, journaled at its ends in bearings 17 secured to suitable supports at the lower rear ends of the frame 1, one end of said shaft being extended and provided with a band-wheel 18, adapted to be connected by a belt with some suitable movable part of the drive mechanism of the threshing-machine. When motion is imparted to this wheel, the shaft 16 will be revolved, and in revolving the crank 15 will impart reciprocatory movement to the board 5 in a manner readily understood.

In the operation of the device the board instead of remaining fixed or immovable, like ordinary division-boards, is reciprocated in the described manner and on its forward movement assists the regular feeding devices to feed the grain forward to the separator, the grain being engaged by the shoulder 7 of the engaging devices 6 on the forward movement of the board, so that a positive feed will be imparted thereto. On the rearward or return movement of the board the inclined surfaces 8 of the engaging devices 6 will pass over the surface of the grain, thus preventing a back push to the grain, the reaction of the grain causing it to fill in the spaces between the engaging devices and to thus be brought into position to be positively engaged by the shoulder 7 upon the ensuing forward movement.

It will be understood that instead of the single divide-board I may employ a plurality of boards and provide the operating-shaft with a corresponding number of actuating-cranks.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved divide-board will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a board of this character which instead of retarding the feed of the grain will facilitate the feed thereof in an elficientmanner while performing its usual function of a divider.

Changes in the form, proportions,and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the ad vantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The combination with a feeder-frame, of a support upon the upper end of said frame, a roller-bearing mounted upon said support, a divide-board having a rear portion su pported and guided by said support and roller-bearing, and means at the front end of the feederframe for supporting and reciprocating said board,

2. The combination with a feeder frame, of a guide-yoke upon the upper end of said frame, a roller journaled in said guide-yoke, a divideboard, an arm projecting from the rear end of the board and supported by said roller and movable through said yoke, and means at the front end of the frame for supporting the rear end of the divide-board and reciprocating the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

l/VILLIAM NIGHSWONGER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. OLINGENFEEL, JOHN SCHAMMERHORN. 

